Sister Beverly Jane (Beata Maria) Nordhouse, IHM

Sister Jane was one of two children, two girls, of Harry and Sylvia (Blahnik) Nordhouse. She was born on May 12, 1921 in Manistee, Michigan and given the name Beverly Jane. Sister Jane attended Washington, St. Joseph and St. Stephen Grade Schools in Port Huron, Mich., and high school at Ursuline Convent, Chatham, Ontario. She graduated from St. Stephen High School in Port Huron, Mich. She entered the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Monroe in 1939, taking the religious name of Sister Beata Maria.

Sister Jane earned a bachelor?s degree from Marygrove College, and a master of arts in education from Ball State Teachers College (Ball State University), Ohio. For 53 years, she taught in formal education on all subjects, but mostly the sciences. Her teaching career included elementary schools: St. Mary, Monroe; St. Philip, Battle Creek; St. Matthew, St. George, Immaculata and St. Mary of Redford, Detroit; St. John, Benton Harbor; Our Lady of Lourdes, River Rouge; and high schools, Port Huron Catholic, Port Huron and St. Agatha, Detroit.

In 1994 Sister Jane began another ministry at Infinity Institute, Royal Oak, Mich., and worked as a secretary for 12 years. She retired and returned to the IHM Motherhouse in 2006. She entered the Health Care Center in 2013 where she resided until her death.

Sister Jane is survived by her step-brothers, Gilbert Austin and Bill Austin, step-sister, Marilyn Breitfeller, and cousin, Fritz Hansen. She was preceded in death by her sister, Mary Margaret, who died while a senior at St. Mary?s Academy, Monroe in 1943.

A Remembering and Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 28, at the Motherhouse. Burial will follow in St. Mary Cemetery on the Motherhouse Campus. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Rupp Funeral Home, Monroe, Mich. Memorials may be made to the IHM Retirement Fund, 610 W. Elm Ave., Monroe, MI 48162-7909.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.